Thai-Style Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The glossy, garlicky sweet chili sauce every Thai restaurant sets down next to fried spring rolls and grilled chicken — made from scratch in 25 minutes with fresh red chiles instead of the flat, candy-sweet bottled stuff. Minced garlic and chile flecks stay suspended in a clear amber syrup thickened just enough to cling, with rice vinegar for lift and a splash of fish sauce for the savory depth that makes it taste like a real dipping sauce rather than jam.

Ingredients

• 5 oz fresh red Fresno or red jalapeño chiles (about 5 to 6)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Stem the chiles and slice them in half lengthwise. For a medium-hot sauce, scrape out and discard the seeds and white ribs from about half of them; leave all the seeds in if you want it aggressive, or remove them all for a mild, family-friendly version. Roughly chop the chile flesh.
2. Put the chopped chiles and the peeled garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse 10 to 12 times, scraping down once, until everything is chopped into flecks about the size of coarse sea salt. Do not purée it to a smooth paste — you want visible red and white specks in the finished sauce. (No processor? Mince by hand; it takes about 8 minutes and is worth it.)
3. In a 2-quart nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar, rice vinegar, water, and kosher salt. Set over medium heat and stir until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid turns clear, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the chile-garlic mixture and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn on your vent hood — the vinegar and chile steam is sharp. The garlic will lose its raw bite and the liquid will reduce slightly and turn a warm amber.
5. Stir in the fish sauce and simmer 1 minute more.
6. Whisk the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth with no lumps. While the sauce is at a steady simmer, drizzle in the slurry, whisking constantly. Cook 60 to 90 seconds, until the sauce turns glossy and thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon in a thin, translucent film. It should still look pourable — it will thicken noticeably as it cools.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil, if using. Taste carefully (it's hot) and adjust: another teaspoon of vinegar for brightness, a pinch of salt for depth, a tablespoon of sugar if your chiles ran fiery.
8. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then pour into a clean jar and cool completely before capping. Stir before each use to redistribute the chile and garlic. Serve at room temperature with spring rolls, fried wontons, grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy tofu.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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